Lives of the First World War

John Milsom joined the East Lancashire Regt (Reg No 38023) and completed Basic Training with that unit. He was one of a small draft that were then transferred to 20th King's (Liverpool Regiment) in Flanders

As an East Lancashire Regiment (Pte 38023) soldier in May 1917

As awarded to John Milsom for service in the Great War (Medal Index Card)

Hooge Crater Cemetery Plot: XV.B.13

Brigade map for Tuesday 31 July 1917 3.50 am Zero Hour and the Barrage starts along the whole Fifth Army front. 5.20 am. 17 KLR and 20 KLR in position at Maple Copse and ready to advance through to Green Line. 7.50 am Both battalions advance. 17 KLR on the left and 20 KLR on the right only to find that Blue Line had not fallen with troops of 21 Bde and 90 Bde still pinned down.

John Milsom was attested as 38023 in the East Lancashire Regiment and called forward for basic training March – May 1917. On graduation, and after the usual period of home leave, he formed part of a small draft that arrived in 30 IDB, Etaples in June 1917. On completion of training there he was posted to 20 KLR/89 Bde which was then deployed in the Ypres area.

East Lancashire Regiment - May 1917 Standing L-R: N/K, Benjamin Ball (Haslingden), Ralph Shorrock (Darwen), N/K. Kneeling L-R Fred Taylor (Waterfoot), John Milsom (Haslingden), N/K on Graduation as trained soldiers in the East Lancashire Regiment - May 1917.

“RFC Aerial View of 28.J.21 (Tower Hamlets and Lewis House, West of Gheluvelt) area taken at 10:00 on 17 October 1917The aerial view is reported to cover “an area equivalent to squares 28.J.20 and 28.J.21 Negative roll 6B, photo 3626. Annotations on recto: north arrow pointing to the upper-left. "BRITISH LINE" printed in blue ink. "LEWIS HSE. + P.B.S." printed in margin in blue ink with line to inverted "V" symbols on the photo. Map reference "27.a. 40.53" printed in margin in blue ink with line pointing to its location on the photo. Arrow in blue ink labelled "LIGHT" indicating the direction of the source of light in the photo as an aid to photo interpreters. "PRINTED BY No. 2 ADVANCED SECTION, A.P.& S.S." in margin. Annotations on verso: "TOWER HAMLETS" printed in pencil. WWI Aerial Photograph Collections: Box 2, Envelope 59”” This is an initial “best guess” and requires the orientation confirmed and further cross checking with Lewis House grid reference using Map 28 – when found.